The Russellville Democrat., 1887-07-27
ATKINS, POPE COUNTY,
 ARKANSAS.
It's Situation and Prospects The States Great Resources and
 Inducemcnts to Settlers.


 Inducements to Settlers. 1 EDIToR SUNNY SOUTH: Thinking that few lines from this nearly un known and much neglected section 1 of the State would not be nnintcrcsbs ing to your numerous readers. l ven. lture to write YOU few facts about this most favored section of the southwest,
 The town Of Atkins was founded about fifteen years ago, anu named for the first President of Little Rock & Fort Smith railway. It is situat ed sixty one miles west Of Little Rock, and one hundred miles east ot Fort Smith. The town contains some clght hundred souls, mostly white twelve or fifteen stores, many of the store houses .being brick; two drug stores carrying good stocks ! comparing favorably with towns Of much larger population. There are three hotels and one restaurant, sey eral wood and blacksmith shops, a wagon and buggy factory, two plain ing mills, one steam gin and hourlng HE:iii, masonic hall with flourish ing lodge numbering some fifty members, and five church buildings, all very neat and attractive, namely: Catholic, Baptist, Cumberland Pres byterian, and Methodist--one each South and North, all having a good active membership.
 We have, also, two story school building, in which a school is taught for about eight months in the year, and supported by State and county school funds; and besides, several private schools. Our society is good and improving every year. We have five or six doctors and one lawyer, two daily express trans, and a number of freights. This beauti ful, healthy village is situated in the valley, at the foot of a spur of the Ozark Mountains. On the north west edge of the village, and on an elevation five hundred feet above it, can be seen, five miles to the south, the majestic Arkansas River on whose bosom can be seen steamers playing between Fort Smith and Little Rock. On top of the noun tain are fine farming lands, where the finest grapes in the South can be rsised, also cotton, corn, wheat, oats and other hardy fruits and grains.
 The town is surrounded for miles on all sides with lands as fine as any ln the southwest, winch yleld bounti fully to the well directed labor of the farmer The yield of cotton usually is bale to the acre; corn 40 to 70 bushels, wheat, oats, rye, barley DO tatoes in like proportion. SThe sun shines on no better country for the poor man to make living and ac- cumulate something to lay up for rainy day. Ispeak from experience, as l have lived in five or six South ern States since the war. Land is cheap-the best creek and river bot tom lands, improved, can be bought from $l5 to $50 per acre, while wild or unimproved lands from $l.50 to 5000. (There is no healthier coun try in the southwest.) We have but little snow, and such a thing as a two years failure of crops from drouth is not known here. We never fail to make enough to live on.
 In conclusion I would say to the good people looking to better their condition and get fair return for their labor, to give Pope county a l trial. 1 have no land to sell nor any axe to grind, the above are simple facts and can be verified.
 Mir. Editor, if you think this worth place in your valuable paper (the best family paper ever read) put 1t in, if not drop it in the waste basket. w. $. HINTON,
 Druggist.
 tlxipc A rJr Tnna To 1907